Triangle Concept in Everyday Selling Situations

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My
longtime industry friend and mentor Bob Brennan founded Reflex Marketing over
35 years ago based on an undeniably simple yet effective concept. Like the
equilateral triangle where all sides are of equal length, so is the nature of
the relationship between vendors, resellers and rep firms in the musical
instrument and professional audio business. No one entity is more important
than the other in terms of respect given and understanding of mutual reciprocity.
This philosophy has distinguished Bob and Reflex for over three decades and is
reflected in the long-term, incredibly positive relationships he has maintained
with both manufacturers and retailers from all parts of the country.

Leading by example

When
Bob and I engaged in mid-2018 to determine if acquiring Reflex was a good fit
for both of us, I already had a good idea about the “Triangle Concept”. You
see, I was a young retail salesman in the early 1980s at Medley Music, and Bob
was one of the only reps that spent time with me on the sales floor, reviewing products
and sharing insights. This left a real impression, and over the years our paths
crossed many times in the industry. He had a way of always creating a win-win
situation and never taking sides. Many of my experiences as a District Sales
Manager were shaped by the realization that everyone needed to communicate
effectively, and it was the rep’s job to respond immediately to each inquiry or
issue that came up. Bob taught me to “lead by example”, and the triangle has
even been built into our new company logo.

Continuous improvement

To
remain competitive in the musical instrument and pro audio trade, rep firms
need to reset our excellence meter every morning. I am honored to continue the Reflex
Marketing tradition and am ready, willing and able to jump in the fray embracing
Bob’s longstanding core values. We all need to set good examples for the people
we interact with, this while striving for personal improvement each day. Be
yourself, or better. Give more than you take. Contribute to the greater good,
and the rewards will come. Together, we can move mountains of gear, and arrive
back home to share success stories with our loved ones.

Teamwork is the heart of the matter

The
manufacturers and dealers are our partners, and when everyone ascribes to this
notion, the result is a tendency towards teamwork and customer satisfaction. Now is the
time to test your mettle, get up off your seat and realize that we are one, destined
to drive our enterprises forward based on these shared values. We
are responsible and accountable to each other, just as I am indebted to my dear
friend Bob and all he has taught me over the years. I know in my heart that
these thoughts are shared by many in our industry and that we’ll prosper for
years to come based on mutual respect, and application of the “Triangle
Concept”.

About Doug Nestler

Sales Consultant | Author | Player
Doug is the author of Sound Marketing: Helping Music Brands Be Heard, and has been involved in the musical instrument and pro audio business for nearly four decades. His expertise is in sales & marketing strategy, key account management, product roll-outs and overall channel management.

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Welcome to the show.

Sound Marketing sits at the intersection of music, sales & marketing. We explore how insightful strategy, focused tactics, and organizational change will help manufacturers be heard over all the noise in the musical instrument marketplace.

My name is Doug Nestler, and I’ve spent 38 years—still going strong—in sales & marketing. My resume includes roles in all areas of channel management and distribution, and Sound Marketing is a way to share my expertise with you.

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